DH instructs recall of slimming product (August 26, 2005)
The Department of Health (DH)
today (August 26) urged people not to buy or consume a slimming
product called "Shou Shen Dan -- Xiao Nan Wan" (
) which has been found to contain
a Western drug ingredient and may cause side effects.
The
importing company of the product has been instructed to recall the
product from the market and to surrender it to the department.
People who have purchased the product should immediately stop using
it and seek medical advice if they feel unwell.
A department spokesman said that
during a round of sampling exercise in August, a sample of the
product was purchased for testing for the presence of Western drug
ingredients.
Laboratory tests conducted on
the product found it to have contained sibutramine (
) but the product was not registered
under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.
"Sibutramine is a Western drug
ingredient used as appetite suppressant.
It can cause increased blood pressure
and heart rate, and people with heart problems should not take it.
Products containing sibutramine are Western medicines and must be
registered before sale," the spokesman said.
"Products containing this drug
ingredient are Third Schedule poisons under Pharmacy and Poisons
Ordinance, i.e. they can only be sold on a doctor's prescription
and dispensed under the supervision of a pharmacist," he said.
People are advised to dispose of it
or return the product to the importing company (telephone number
2411 6776).
They may also submit the product to
the Pharmaceutical Service of DH at 3/F, Public Health Laboratory
Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon during office hours.
The department has also set up a
hotline 2319 2839 for enquiries during office hours.
The spokesman reminded importers,
wholesalers and retailers that the possession and sale of
unregistered pharmaceutical products was an offence liable to a
maximum penalty of $100,000 fine and two years' imprisonment.
"People should control their weight
in terms of observing good dietary practice and appropriate
physical activities. Before using drugs for weight reduction, they
should first consult their family doctors," he said.
(Reprinted from HKSAR Government web
page:
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200508/26/P200508260228.htm
)
